Smart Growth

Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities

This video from EPA describes how a walkability audit — one of the Building Blocks tools — was conducted in Blue Springs, Missouri.This video from Housing & Community Solutions, Inc. (HCSI) describes how community members in the 26th Ward of St. Louis, Missouri, worked with HCSI to apply for technical assistance from EPA's Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program. This technical assistance included a walkability audit in the 26th Ward.

Background

Many communities around the country are asking for tools to help them achieve their desired development goals, improve quality of life, and become more economically and environmentally sustainable. In response to this demand, EPA developed the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program in 2011.

Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities provides quick, targeted technical assistance to selected communities using a variety of tools that have demonstrated results and widespread application. The purpose of delivering these tools is to stimulate a discussion about growth and development and strengthen local capacity to implement sustainable approaches.

A tool includes:

An agenda, presentations, and exercises that help facilitate discussion around a given topic.

Data or information from the community that can be analyzed, helping to drive a conversation.

An action-oriented process that leads to a set of potential next steps.

Past Recipients of Building Blocks Assistance

Assistance From Grantees

In addition to the EPA Building Blocks assistance described on this page, EPA provides grants to nonprofit organizations to provide similar assistance to communities. Learn more about assistance from the grantees.